A Stupid Dare
by From-Angels-Wings
Summary: She shouldn't have gone to that party. She shouldn't have taken that dare. But it was too late. She was in love with Kurosaki Ichigo.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Bleach. Also, by reading this, you are taking the risk that it won't go how you want or expect.**

She shouldn't have gone to that party. She shouldn't have taken that dare.

But now, it was too late.

She was in love with Kurosaki Ichigo.

It had all started out innocently enough. Just a few friends, hanging out. It wasn't even a real party.

Then someone had started that game of truth or dare.

"Hey, Orihime!" Tatsuki had shouted. "Truth or dare?"

Tired of always being the timid one, Orihime had decided to go for something out of character. "Dare!" she yelled back.

"Okay, then. I dare you to stare Ichigo in the eyes for five minutes."

It sounded innocent enough...until you knew that earlier, Tatsuki and Orihime had been discussing the latest topic of debate among their high school's female population. Apparently, someone had found a website which claimed that staring into a person's eyes for five minutes straight would cause you to fall in love with them. Orihime wasn't sure whether or not she believe it, but the dare was so seemingly innocent that she couldn't have backed out. Not if she wanted her friends to stop teasing her for being a coward.

So she did it.

"Stupid!" Orihime cursed herself inside her head. "Why did you take that stupid dare? Being a coward isn't so bad! And it probably only worked for you. Now what are you going to do?"

Orihime got off her bed and started pacing, an action that usually calmed her down. Today, however, she had no luck, so she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

As she walked through the park, Orihime continued to scold herself internally. "Baka! Now you can never talk to him again!"

Unfortunately, at that moment, Orihime happened to trip and fall into the back of a very familiar fellow carrot-top.

"AHHHH!" She shouted. Today was just not her day. First, she discovered her more-than-a-crush on Ichigo; now, she had fallen on top of him trying to forget him. Jumping off a bridge was beginning to sound like a good idea.

"Oh, hey there, Inoue-san," Ichigo blushed. Life was getting more and more awkward all the time.

**A/N: Yea, yea. It's a short first chapter. But I'm just testing out the interest level, because I'm not entirely sure what possessed me to write this, or if it will go over well. So please comment, because I'm really not sure if I'll write more to this or not.**


	2. Chapter 2

After Ichigo had careful returned Orihime to an independently-standing position, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Dammit, he could literally feel his face turning the same colour has his hair. No, by now, it was probably brighter. Why did he have to fall for her? What had happened during that dare? They had just had to stare at each other for five minutes. Why had that flipped his world upside down?

Awkwardly, Ichigo cleared his throat. "Uhm. So. What are you doing out here?"

Orihime, who's own face had long ago shot past the intensity of her own hair, muttered to the ground. "Oh, just out for a walk, Kurosaki-kun."

Orihime knew she should run. Ichigo knew he should find some way to leave. Both knew they shouldn't be here, shouldn't be doing this. Kuchiki Rukia had just broken up with the strawberry just a few days ago, after all. Yet neither really wanted to leave.

"Oh. Uhm. That's cool...Mind if I...walk with you?" Ichigo's face darkened yet another shade, if that was even possible by now. Why had he done that? Why hadn't he just made some excuse that he had to go home, or to the store, or meet someone? Anything. He shouldn't be here right now. This shouldn't be happening to him. Not now.

"Of course not!" Orihime answered, a little more clearly this time, but still directed towards the ground. Unsteadily, she set off, walking at an unusually quickened pace out of pure nervous energy. What was going on? Why was he offering to spend time with her? Surely he could tell how she felt; he had always had an uncanny ability to look at her face and know exactly what she was feeling.

"Oh, Kurosaki-kun, what were you doing? Am I interrupting your plans?" Orihime hoped that maybe he'd just end her torment and have to go do something. Anything. Any lame excuse to get away from her couldn't hurt her more than this kindness.

"Actually, I was just out for a walk myself. My family is driving me nuts."

Despite herself, Orihime giggled. Yuzu and Karin were sweet enough, but Kurosaki Isshin had a reputation for being quite...different. Yes, different was a good word for him, Orihime decided.

"What? Something funny?" Ichigo looked down at his red-headed friend, natural scowl firmly in place.

"Oh, nothing! Just your dad. He's so funny."

"Yea, if by funny you mean completely insane," Ichigo scoffed. Inwardly, he was amazed he was able to keep up a normal conversation with her right now. All he could think about was grabbing her and holding her...and how wrong it felt to think that. He shouldn't be thinking about her like that. Not when he and Rukia had just broken up. Not yet. He couldn't move on _this_ quickly, could he?

Orihime looked up in shock, all other feelings completely forgotten for the moment. "Oh, Kurosaki-kun! That's your father! He can't be all that bad!" Suddenly, the buxom girl realized that she was looking at him. The blush, which had previously began to subside, returned to her face full force. Embarrassed, she returned to intensely studying the ground.

"Just pretend like you're watching where you're going so you don't fall again." she thought to herself, "He won't suspect anything. Everyone knows how much of a klutz you are, after all."

Fortunately, Ichigo was too stuck in his own confusion to really notice any of the emotions playing out on the girl's face. Well, fortunate for Orihime, anyway. To him, her face was an open book to all of her feelings, and even sometimes her thoughts. They both secretly guessed that it was from their closeness, but neither would openly acknowledge this ability.

Ichigo muttered, "Yea, well, you haven't seen him when no one else is around. That idiot. I can't wait until I move out."

Just then, the two were temporarily saved by a very tomboy-ish teenage girl with short, dark hair.

"Inoue! Kurosaki!" Tatsuki shouted. "What are you two doing here?"

Tatsuki trotted over to the two friends.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime shouted, grabbing her best friend fiercely. Tatsuki struggled, unable to breath in her friend's embrace.

"Uh...hime...can't...breathe..." She managed to choke out.

"Oops!" Orihime released her friend. "I'm just glad you're here! I mean, Kurosaki-kun and I were on a lovely walk, but things are always more fun with friends!"

"Shut up, baka!" Orihime thought to herself. "You're babbling again! Shut up shut up shut up!"

Meanwhile, Ichigo was thinking about what Orihime could have possibly meant. Did she not want to be hanging out with him? Did she notice his new-found feelings? After all, he had always been able to tell what she was feeling; maybe she could do the same.

Thankfully for both, it was now getting close to supper time. They walked together to the entrance and departed.

**A/N: I'm honestly really shocked that so many people have even opened this story. Seriously, less than 24 hours and it already has more hits than my other one. Anyway, don't get used to frequent updates. I'm only uploading now because people seem to be interested and I had it written already anyway. Also, this is about how long chapters will typically be. Anyway, please review. Especially if you like it or have some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Thanks!**

**~Ash**


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, being a school day, meant that Orihime and Ichigo were forced to sit next to each other all day.

Not only that, but neither wanted to explain their individual situations to anyone, so they walked to school together as usual. Thankfully, since they walked with Rukia, Chad, Tatsuki, and Uryuu, there was no room for awkwardness. However, since each was trying to stay as far away from the other as possible, Tatsuki and Chad, at least, noticed that something was up.

"Hey! Orihime!" the tomboy called out to her friend at lunch. "Walk to the bathroom with me?"

Normally, Tatsuki was above such typical so-called "girl tricks" like going to the bathroom for a conference, but she decided to allow Orihime to save face...for now. After all, Tatsuki had a feeling this had something to do with her little dare.

Once they reached the bathroom, Tatsuki barged in. "Okay, everyone out!" Thanks to her reputation, she had no trouble clearing out all potential eavesdroppers. In less than two minutes, she and Orihime had the place to themselves.

"Alright. Spill, Hime-chan." Tatsuki demanded, selecting the only privately-used nickname.

"Uh...uh...I don't know what you mean," came the weak reply.

Tatsuki sighed. Looks like she was getting the information she wanted the hard way.

"Come on. I'm your best friend. And you know I'll get it out of you even if you try to deny it. What's going on with you and Ichigo?"

Orihime sighed. She could keep denying it, but she knew Tatsuki wouldn't give up...and since she seemed to _really_ want to know, Orihime knew her dear friend would resort to any methods she deemed appropriate.

"Okay. Okay. It's just...I think aliens climbed inside my head during that dare and made me fall in love with Ichigo. But they must have left him alone. Can we go eat now?"

Tatsuki chuckled, but decided to allow her friend to escape, for now. After all, lunch was only so long, and she was hungry. She'd get more information after school - after all, the friends did live in neighbouring apartments.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was busy being interrogated as well - well, if you could really call Chad's most silent, all-knowing looks that seemed to make things fall out of Ichigo's mouth interrogation. Regardless of what it was, it was working, just as Chad knew it would.

Chad staredat Ichigo as they sat down on the roof. "So, you love Orihime?"

Ichigo, flustered and blushing, flailed an arm and muttered something about how that was ridiculous.

Chad continued staring.

"Agh. Maybe. I don't know alright?" Ichigo finally blurted out angrily. "Happy?"

Chad cracked a smile, a rare sight for him, and continued staring. He knew he didn't have to say anything for Ichigo to keep talking.

"Look, it's just...I don't know. Since that party I've seen her differently, ok? Now STOP STARING!"

Chad let out a small chuckle and gave in to his friend's demand. Obviously this was a sore spot for Ichigo, and it was Chad's nature not to pry.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as the girl in question, accompanied by Tatsuki, happened to bounce up to the roof right at that second, immediately blushing when she saw Ichigo.

"Uh...I...uh...forgot my lunch in the class!"

Tatsuki, unsuccessfully trying to conceal a smile, held up Orihime's bag. "Good thing I remembered it!"

Orihime sighed. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to Ichigo - which was why she wanted even more to be able to avoid him. She couldn't handle an unrequited love, and she knew there was no way that Ichigo returned those feelings.

Upon hearing this sudden exchange, Ichigo's attention snapped up. Before him, he saw a beautiful goddess radiating light. Mesmerized, he sat there, staring, jaw on the ground. Then said goddess turned to look at him.

Ichigo suddenly realized his embarrassing state, and, blushing, shut his mouth and turned away.

This was not going to end well for him.

That afternoon, Ichigo wanted nothing more than to go home and lock himself in his room, away from obnoxious fathers and prying friends. And _especially _away from a certain annoying, far-too-nosy midget who had taken up residence in his closet.

He really needed to start remembering to lock his window, too.

Unfortunately, however, Hueco Mundo had other plans. Ichigo groaned loudly as his substitute shinigami badge started flashing. A hollow was definitely the last thing he wanted to deal with right now - except maybe Orihime. Yea, a hollow attack was definitely preferable to being around her, now that his brain and heart and decided to go stupid and rebel against him.

Sighing, Ichigo popped Kon into his mouth and gave the mod soul instructions to go home, lock his body in his room, and not open the door OR window for anyone but him, not even Rukia. Hoping Kon would listen for once, he then flash-stepped across town to the park, where he was sensing the hollow was.

**A/N: I know I said not to get used to frequent updates...but I've actually had time and motivation for writing recently. So, don't get used to it quite yet, ok? And please put down the pitch forks and torches, I know not a lot happened in this chapter. We're getting there, I promise. Next chapter there should be an interesting Ichigo/Orihime interaction, at least.**

**Now then. If you have any special requests for this story, please put them in a review. If you read this at all, please review, actually. Pretty please? It makes me sad that there's so many hits and almost no reviews. And a happy Ash writes better, so make me happy and leave me a review. :)**

**~Ash**


	4. Chapter 4

Ichigo landed at the entrance of the park. "Here, little hollow!" He called out mockingly. In response, he heard a loud roar, followed by a crash. Turning toward the sound, he started flash-stepping again, only to catch sight of a very familiar bright head of hair cornered by a not very friendly looking hollow.

"Orihime!" He shouted. "Look out!"

Just then, the hollow swung it spiked tail at the buxom girl, who could do nothing but duck. She screamed as a smoke cloud rose around her before she realized that she was completely unharmed. As the smoke cleared, she looked up and saw her favourite shinigami, cleaver-like zanpakuto in hand, and a now quite angry hollow with only half a tail.

"Wha...what...Kuro-kurosaki-kun?" Orihime stuttered out.

"Hey, Orihime, watch that, will you?" Ichigo gestured towards the large section of tail he had just lopped off. "I have some business to take care of." With that, Ichigo launched himself into the air towards the hollow's mask.

The hollow had other ideas, however. It scooted under Ichigo, aiming it's wide-open mouth at Orihime with a screech. As usual, Orihime screamed. Fortunately, her rikka pulled out her santen kesshun fast enough to shield her from the attack.

Ichigo dropped down in front of Orihime. "Inoue-san, if I can create an opening for you, please run!"

As he was talking, the hollow lashed out it's arm. Although Ichigo blocked most of the blow, the tip of the claw managed to find it's way around Zangetsu's blade, leaving a nasty cut across Ichigo's face and eye., from which blood began to gush.

"Ichigo!" Orihime screamed.

"I'm fine," he reassured her, "Just get ready to run."

With that, Ichigo launched himself into the air again, aiming for the same arm which had cut open his face. The hollow, seeing Orihime as an open target still, again reached out it's arm towards her. This time, her rikka were not quite fast enough, and the blow knocked Orihime into the wall of the park.

"INOUE!" Ichigo shouted angrily, "You're going down, beast! Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu."

Quickly, Ichigo's cloak and blade shifted forms, while intense fight music began to play, distracting the hollow long enough for Ichigo to form and fire off a Getsuga Tenshou at it's mask, causing it to disintegrate.

He really should find out where that music came from...at least it was a good distraction.

Ichigo ran to the wall where Orihime still lay, unconscious. She seemed ok, other than a few scrapes and bruises, but Ichigo decided to play it safe and carried her to Urahara's shoten.

"She'll be fine, just a little bump on the head!" the creepy shopkeeper said in his too-cheerful voice.

Ichigo sat next to the still-unconscious redhead, worry creasing his brow. "Thanks, Kisuke."

As Ichigo waited for Orihime to wake up, he thought about recent developments. There was no way he could have magically just fallen for a girl who, up until now, was just a close friend. She should have just been someone he wanted to protect. When did she turn into something more?

Ichigo's pondering was cut short by Orihime's stirring. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, and looked around. Upon seeing Ichigo, she bolted upright.

"OW!" She yelled, falling into his lap. "Oh, my head...everything's spinning!"

Bewildered, Ichigo gently returned her to the tatami mat. "Just lay still, and try to move slowly, if at all. Do you remember what happened?"

Orihime thought a minute. "I remember walking through the park when I heard a loud roar. There was a hollow, and then you came and started fighting it, then I can't remember anything else."

Ichigo started to describe what happened next, but Urahara burst into the room. "Ah, Sleeping Beauty is awake, I see! I have some aspirin for you!" He bounded into the room with some pills and a glass of water. "Take these. You should be feeling fine again within the hour."

Orihime slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position with Ichigo's assistance and took the medicine. "Thank you, Urahara."

The shopkeeper replied, "Oh, no, no. Don't thank me! Thank your saviour there!" He giggled from behind his fan and backed out of the room. "I'll just leave you two alone then, ne?"

"You saved me?" Orihime blurted out.

"I...er...that is...sort of...I guess..." Ichigo stammered. "I mean...I just defeated the hollow, no big deal."

Orihime looked down at her lap. "You always seem to be saving me, Kurosaki-kun. Thank you. I'm sorry I'm so helpless. I'll try to get stronger so I can protect myself!"

"No!" Ichigo exclaimed. "That is...I like protecting you. You're not a burden to me, and you aren't helpless. You're perfect just the way you are."

Once he realized what he had let fall out of his mouth, Ichigo's blush deepened. If this kept up he was going to begin looking more lobster than human - permanently.

The buxom girl turned her eyes up to her self-proclaimed protector's face. Ichigo looked down into her eyes. Neither broke the contact, and they could feel themselves being drawn together, almost magnetically.

All of a sudden, both realized what was happening and looked away.

"I...er..." Ichigo stammered.

"Uhm...I think I need to go home..." Orihime jumped to her feet and stumbled out the door, nearly falling. Ichigo, seemingly unable to move, just sat and watched her go, wondering what had just almost happened.

**A/N: See, I told you not to get used to that updating schedule. In fact, you're lucky you got this one so quickly. I'm not planning on making this series very long, so if you have any kind of scene request make it now and I'll see if it fits into the plot. Anyway, thank you to everyone who's reviewed already. Everyone else, you have no excuse, so just go click that little review button and type up what you think. I like feedback, negative or positive, as long as it makes sense. Thanks for reading so far! Now go review!**

**~Ash**


	5. Chapter 5

Ichigo ran out the door after Orihime, easily catching up to her within a few seconds.

"No! Don't go. I want to talk to you."

Orihime, still embarassed, twisted away and started off again, tears streaming down her face. Desperate, Ichigo grabbed her, pushing her against the wall.

"Orihime, please. Just listen to me."

"Just let me go, Ichigo! I don't want to hear about how we'll always just be friends, how you don't see me like that, how the only one you have eyes for is Rukia! It's just not fair!"

The redhead buried her face in her hands, sobbing heavily now.

"Wh...what? I...I don't understand..." Ichigo stammered.

Orihime's reply came through her hands so muffled Ichigo wouldn't have been able to hear her, had his body not been pressed against hers to keep her from running.

"I know you like her. You're always together, always laughing and smiling and telling secrets. It's obvious you love her. I was foolish to think I'd ever have a chance. I should have known I'd never even compare with - "

Ichigo cut her off with a sharp tug to her wrists, pulling them away from her face.

"Stop that. Now."

Orihime blinked the tears out of her eyes, confused.

"She could never mean more to me than you, Orihime. You're the one who's been there for me since we were just kids. You've always been the one there supporting me through everything. Nothing and no one can ever matter more to me than you."

Gently, he wiped away Orihime's tears with his thumb and tucked a few stray locks behind her ears. As her sobs quieted, Orihime turned her face up to him, curious and still afraid.

"Re...really?..."

Ichigo nodded, bring his hand up to her face and gently cupping it in his palm.

"You've always been the one for me. That dare made me realize it. There will never be anyone who I care for or who cares for me more than you, Orihime."

With his other hand, he wiped away a few lingering tears. At last, his other palm came to rest on her unoccupied cheek. Slowly, he began to tilt his face towards hers, drawing their lips closer together with every long millisecond.

"Ichigo...I love you..." Orihime whispered.

"I love you, too, Hime-chan," came Ichigo's soft reply.

Ichigo sat up with a start, breathing heavily. _"What in the hell?"_ Frantically, he looked around him, from door, to desk, and finally, the sleeping midget beside him.

Sighing heavily, he laid back down, disturbing his partner.

"Ichigooo, I'm sleeping. Stop moving."

Smiling, Ichigo rolled over to hold his raven-haired princess. Of course it had all been just a dream. He had never seen Orihime as more than just a good friend. While it was true she had always been there for him, Rukia was more than that. She was his soul mate.

With a yawn, Rukia snuggled into his arm, promptly falling back to sleep. Ichigo, however, remained awake a while longer, pondering where on Earth that ridiculous dream could have come from, and wondering how he could have been so lucky as to end up with such a fantastic woman as Kuchiki Rukia.

**A/N: *ducks into pillow fort* Hahaha. Let's be honest, how many of you thought this was an actual IchiHime? Sorry, I can't ever resist messing with the readers a little bit. But you got a new chapter, so no need to kill me...right? Right? Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is the end of this one, unless there's an overwhelming response asking for more (though I'm pretty sure a lot of you are a little upset that this didn't go like you thought it would).**

**Anyway, reviews? Please? Reviews mean a happy neko and more writing!**

**~Ash**


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, as Ichigo prepared for work, his mind kept returning to the strange dream of the night before.

And a strange dream it had been. Ichigo and Orihime were good friends, it was true. But in his dreams, her actions and words - and his, to an extent - were so...abnormal, even though they had made such perfect sense while he was still asleep. And where had that dream even come from?

Suddenly, Ichigo was thrown into a flashback.

"_Kurosaki-san...I know you love Rukia-san. But I've loved you since the day you saved my life in Las Noches. I wanted you to know before graduation."_

Ichigo shook himself out of it before he could remember the rest of the day he'd had to hurt one of his closest friends. To this day, he regretted that he'd had to turn her down, even though he'd tried to be gentle.

Suddenly, an unbidden thought popped into his head. _What if I had given her a chance?_

Shaking himself again, Ichigo hurried along to work, kissing Rukia on the cheek before he left.

With a slight yelp, Orihime tumbled out of bed. Rubbing her head, she sat up on the floor. "Ah, I really need to be more careful when I'm sleeping. The little blue men keep dragging me off the bed when my alarm rings!"

Blinking, she shut off the alarm and stood up. "Time for work!" She sing-songed to herself.

Being that it was her first day on a new job, she took extra time getting dressed, the whole while debating whether or not to wear her crystal flower hair pins. Finally, she settled for slipping them on, since they WERE her good luck charms. She could always slip them off if she changed her mind.

After swallowing down a quick breakfast of rice with strawberry and jalapeno jelly, Orihime skipped out the door on her way to her new job as an office lady.

Ichigo spent his entire walk to the office building occupying his mind with anything that would distract him from the previous night's dream, hoping that if he ignored it for long enough he'd forget it and its strangeness entirely. This meant that he now knew the exact number of steps from his apartment to the building he worked in, in total as well as segmented by turns.

If he kept filling his brain with useless knowledge at this rate, he'd have to write an encyclopedia, just to empty some room for other things.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Kurosaki-san!" chimed the office lady seated by the door.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu," the strawberry replied, nodding his head.

"The new office lady started today, Kurosaki-san," she informed him.

"Oh, we have a new one?"

"Well, considering your secretary just quit, you did need someone to help you out..."

"Oh. Right."

He never could keep track of all the comings and goings in this office. It seemed like every other day there was someone new working here.

Besides, he hadn't liked his old assistant much anyway.

Proceeding towards his office, the tall, orange-haired man suddenly stopped short, blinking. Obviously, something was wrong with his sight.

Confused, he rubbed his eyes, then raised his head to the sight that had stopped him in his tracks.

No, he wasn't seeing things.

Seated in front of his desk was the last woman he had wanted to see today.

The one he'd been trying not to think about for the last half an hour.

Inoue Orihime.

**A/N: Yea, I know I said it was done. But it just didn't feel done, even though I had planned it to end that way. So sue me. Anyway, I honestly have no idea where this is going, but I'm gonna continue it for now.**

**The disclaimers from chapter one still hold though.**

**Reviews, please?**

**~Ash**


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